this morning, september 10th, a tough talking call to arms. the president tries to fire up congress and the nation for health care reform. >> i'm not the first president to take up this cause. but i am determined to be the last. and who was the republican congressman who heckled him? calling him a liar? economic boom on the horizon. after north r months of a recession, the federal reserve says the american economy is finally growing again. crash test. shocking results of new tests on old cars. how safe is the car in your driveway?

"american idol" gets a new judge. why ellen degeneres says she's been dieing to get the job. and oprah, right here, live. showing us her interview and kicking off her new season on showing us her interview and kicking off her new season on "good morning america." captions paid for by abc, inc. and good morning, america. diane sawyer with robin roberts. it is thursday, september 10th. and we begin this morning with that speech. >> of course, we do. the impassioned speech to congress by the president. the hotly-debated public option is apparently not a deal-breaker. but the president did tell republicans to get on board because the time to reform health care is now. >> the most surprising moment in the 45-minute speech came from a member of congress-turned heckler. republican congressman joe wilson of south carolina. his outburst stunned the usually dignified crowd. and we'll get reaction. >> in a moment, we'll get reaction from both sides, diane. vice president joe biden and leading republican, eric cantor.

for what happened last night, we begin with white house correspondent, jake tapper, in washington. good morning, jake. >> reporter: good morning, robin. last night, president obama made the case for a government-run public health care option to bring down costs. but he did not say it was nonnegotiatible. he made outreach to his opponents. at times, it was almost like the president was a principal, and congress a bunch of unruly schoolkids. >> the time for bickering is over. the time for games has passed. >> reporter: he blames misinformation for why many americans are nervous about reform. >> i will not waste time with those who have made the calculation that it's better politics to kill this plan than to improve it. >> reporter: and he pledged to call it misrepresentation, such as -- >> we plan to set up panels of bureaucrats with the power to kill off senior citizens. now, such a charge would be

laughable if it weren't to cynical and irresponsible. it is a lie. >> reporter: but a one of the president's fact-checks was heckled. >> there's a claim that this would insure illegal immigrants. this, too, is false. the reforms -- the reforms i'm proposing would not apply to those who are here illegally. >> you lie. >> that's not true. >> reporter: the cry of "that's a lie," came from south carolina republican congressman, joe wilson, who received a stern look from the house speaker. and later called the white house to apologize for his lack of civility. the president, at time, did reach across the aisle. including an idea for a high-risk pool to help people with pre-existing conditions be able to afford catastrophic care, suggested by senator john mccain. other times it got emotional. evoking the memory of senator ted kennedy, his widow by the first lady's side. the president vowed to complete what kennedy called the unfinished business of our society. >> he was able to imagine what

it must be like for those without insurance. what would it be like to have to say to a wife or a child or an aging parent, there is something that could make you better. but i just can't afford it. >> reporter: but the brass tax questions for the president this morning. did he convince any skeptical americans that his prescription is the right one? did he convince any wavering members of the house and senate, moderate democrats and moderate republicans, to join his effort? diane? >> and, jake, those are questions we put just minutes ago to vice president joe biden. mr. vice president, glad you're with us. first question, did you do it? this morning, how many votes do you have? and how many republicans do you have joining in to vote for health care reform? >> i think the president did do it. he recentered the debate. he laid out precisely why we need health reform. how he'd go about doing it. pointed out that 85% of

suggestions the congress has agreed on. and he debunked the ridiculous assertions about death panels and how we're gain to insure illegal aliens, et cetera. undocumented aliens. i think he recentered the debate here. >> did he get the republicans? how many? >> well, i don't know if he got the republicans or not. but, look. i'm confident he has a clear majority of the house and the senate for reform. one of the things that struck me as a person who sat on the other side of that podium for 36 years, as a united states senator, was he really recentered the debate. and said, hey, guys. you like the way things are? no problem. stick with it. but as -- he implied, does anybody in here think we don't need massive reform of the insurance industry? massive reform of availability of health insurance out there?

massive reform to bring down health insurance? and posed when that question, as we narrowed down the time to vote on this, i think it's going to cause an awful lot of people to have an epiphany here. >> have to ask you about one of the startling moments, when we hear, coming out of the crowd. it was congressman joe wilson of south carolina. a heckle of the president. you lie, he shoulded. and we watched your face. and you turned and talked to speaker nancy pelosi. what did you say to her? what did you think about that moment? >> i was embarrassed. i was embarrassed for a chamber and a congress i love. i served there for 36 years. i thought it demeaned the institution. and i thought it sent a signal to every young person out there. that was very, very damaging. but i know joe. he apologized. i take him at his word that he got caught up in the emotion of the moment. but the fact is, the assertion the president made is absolutely true. it will not cover undocumented

aliens. >> congressman wilson, called to the president. he talked with rahm emanuel. so, apology accepted this morning? >> i haven't spoken to the president. but knowing the president, i'm sure he accepted the apology. >> want to turn, if i can, to the public option. there is a sentence that the president used, that some people think it's where everything is going to end up here. he talked about the fact that some have suggested that the public option is some kind of trig they're goes into effect, if needed because the health insurance companies are not providing affordable policies. will he accept that as the final provision in the bill? that it's a trigger mechanism to come later if needed? >> well, the president laid out what he wants. what he will, in fact, look to if people have better ideas how to accomplish it. he laid it out. i wrote it down because i wanted to make sure that everybody understood it. and i said it precisely.

he said, the basic principle, if americans can't afford coverage, will be -- that we will provide a choice, an affordable choice. that's what the public option is. a guarantee that there'll be an affordable choice. if someone figures out a better way to do that, whether it's a trigger or something else, the president will look at that. but we still think, what we laid out, what the president laid out, of a public option, provides competition. gives people a guaranteed access to an affordable health care plan, if, in fact, there's no one available. he pointed out, for example, in some states, diane, there's very little competition. >> and our thanks to vice president joe biden. that view from the white house. we turn across the aisle, now, diane, for the republican reaction from house republican whip eric cantor of virginia. and congressman kantor. thank you for joining us. you heard from the president. he says the president has a clear majority to pass health

care reform. your reaction to that? >> i don't know if the vice president's numbers are correct. i don't think necessarily last night that we heard in the house, what we're going to need to move forward on this idea of a government option. and i think, you know, we went last night, looking for some specifics. a lot of what i heard has been heard before. i do think, though, that the president did leave open the door for us, as republicans, to bring our ideas forward. and pointed out some areas that, perhaps, we could work together. i think we really need to start with some guarantees, though. there need to be some guarantees that the government is not going to take away the health care decisionmaking from a patient and their doctor. i think we need to start with the guarantee that there won't be any government rationing or discrimination of any kind. and i think we need some guarantees that say we're not going to break the bank with a trillion-dollar program. if we start there, i do think there are some other areas where

we can work together. obviously, the president talked about the pre-existing conditions. we can fix that. senator mccain suggested a program, during last year's campaign, that would create universal access programs at the state level. those are the type things we can do. i wish i had heard more on medical liability reform. i do think that's a common sense way to bring down health care costs. >> the president did show some support for what you just talked about. senator john mccain. he did show support for that plan. and he did make some concessions. you talk about the guarantees. but are you willing to some compromises of your own now? to go back to the table? >> robin, i think it's very important that we dismiss this notion of a government option. i think if we listen to the american people right now, the fear surrounds this notion that somehow the government will replace the health care system that we know in this country. and the fact is, there's probably close to 90% of the

citizens in this country, that do have insurance. most of the people that have insurance, like the insurance they have. but we've got to do something about the costs. there is no question that the current system is unacceptable. we cannot sustain the current system. so, we've got to work together to find some ways to bring down those costs. >> a lot of emotion last night, as we saw. a lot of emotions we've seen all across the country. but i want to get your reaction to your colleague, congressman joe wilson of south carolina. when he said the president lied. congressman cantor, what was your reaction when you heard the outburst? >> obviously, the president of the united states is always welcome on capitol hill. he deserves respect and decorum. i know that congressman wilson has issued an apology and made his thoughts known to the white house, which was the appropriate thing to do. >> congressman eric cantor. we always appreciate your perspective. have a great day. thank you for joining us. and listening to both sides,

abc washington correspondent, host of "this week," george stephanopoulos with "the bottom line." george, anything change this morning? >> no change, diane, in the fundamental die nam nick the house and senate. that's one of the things you take away from listening to vice president biden and eric cantor. what happened last night is, the president did, i think, for the first time, cut through the confusion of the debate. and speak with real clarity about his plan to the american public. he showed the kind of passion the democrats had been looking for, i think, in this debate. and he did throw out some ideas that republicans might be able to grab on to. but as i said, i don't think he changed the dynamic of this debate. going forward, he's going to have to unify democrats on this plan because he's not going to get many republican votes. >> how does he do that? what's the strategy? >> the strategy -- you saw some it shows the difficulty the president is facing. he's trying to have a balancing act on the public health insurance option. on the one hand, it's a good and valuable idea that he supports. on the other hand, saying it's not all that important.

i think the answer to your question to vice president biden, the president would accept the fallback plan as a trigger. but in the house, democrats who are demanding the majority this, public option. and the senate democrats who say it can't get through their body right now. >> so, he's got three-dimensional chess to play out there in the next few days. before i let you go, george, in your long career of watching congress. have you ever heard a heckle like that? >> never. not once, diane. and that's why i think the congressman had to apologize so quickly. chief of staff rahm emanuel, demanded the apology seconds after the speech. that probably did held. president, reinforce the tone of the debate. one piece of news that just came in. the democrats are saying now, that overnight, congressman wilson's opponent in this race, received 3,000 individual grass roots contributions, totalling almost $100,000. >> overnight. okay. thanks, george.

let's head to chris cuomo. he has the other headlines. beginning with the economy. >> that's right, diane. good morning to you. good morning, everybody. the federal reserve is out with a new report saying the recession may be over. but unemployment is still raging. so, what are we supposed to make of a so-called jobless recovery? we have bianna golodryga with us this morning. let's shed some light on this situation. >> reporter: good morning, chris. this could well be the third jobless recovery we've seen in a row coming out of the last two recessions. the federal reserve says economic activity is stable or improving. in most areas of the economy. with manufacturing and automakers reporting growth this quarter. but, and this is a big but, experts say that shoppers really need to start spending more money right now to maintain any recovery we're seeing. and for the job market, it is all about jobs. and take a look at these new figures that came in. in july, there were 14 million people unemployed in this country. with about 2 million job openings. that's where the issue is right now. most of the jobs were in the health care, child care, or technology fields.

and finally, chris, let's talk about the housing market. foreclosure filings remained near record levels last month. nearly 360,000. but that's slightly lower than in july. a positive sign right there, that's a slight positive sign. but it is quite impressive to see what the market has done in the last six months. up 45%. chris? >> bianna, thanks for the reporting this morning. we have another business-related headline for you. congress is reopening its investigation today into how the s.e.c. failed to catch swindler bernie madoff. ignoring warnings for 16 years. on newly-released tapes, madoff is heard coaching an associate on how to dodge questions. saying, you don't have to be brilliant to outsmart the s.e.c. the man who hijacked a plane that was going from cancun to mexico city, says he was driven by devine revelation. jose flores says he was carrying a bomb and demanded to speak to

mexico's president. the bomb flores claimed to have, turned out to be a juice can. and finally, the sweetheart of the tennis set has ended her fairy tale run of the u.s. open. after blowing past four higher-ranked opponents. melanie, with a french name, oudin, fell to caroline wozni wozniaki. that's the news at 7:16. >> she can still hold her head up high. >> amazing. >> we can't wait until she gets her later. thank you, chris. what's going on with the weather, sam? >> we have big problems with rain in a couple spots in the country. let's see if we can hit them all. first, we talk about what's going on in the mid-atlantic and swing into the northeast over the next 24 hours. this low finally starts to work inland. from atlantic city to philly, you're going to get heavy rain. in some cases it will be an inch or more. new york later tonight. boston, by the trim we get to tomorrow. we're talking to 40-mile-per-hour winds along the

coastline. in texas, more rain. corpus chrissy, 1 1/2 inches this morning. you see where the rain is going to collect in the spots that need it. they're happy about that. big drought areas. there's fog for you. not in chicago, really. but just outside of madison, peoria. 11 states have fog advisories out there.

all of america's weather in the next half hour. including a west coast warmup, diane. >> are you ready? are you ready for a shakeup? >> i'm ready. on america's most popular television show. after weeks of speculation, we now know that replacing paula abdul, on the panel of judges will be ellen degeneres. abc's andrea canning has more. ♪ she's known for working the crowd with her quick moves. but now, ellen has a new dance partner. make that three. in taping her show that airs today, she took her audience and

america by surprise. >> i am going to be the new judge on "american idol." i'm not leaving here. don't worry about that. i'm going to have a day job and a night job. that's the -- the times we're living in. we're all doing that. so, this is -- it's so exciting for me. >> reporter: that big announcement sent shock wave plus entertainment industry, including "entertainment weekly." >> my first reaction was ellen as the fourth judge? this is crazy. but when you think about it more, it's actually a genius move. she brings something totally different to the table. >> reporter: but how do the fans feel? we broke the big news. we have some breaking "idol" news. ellen is replacing paula. what do you think? >> wow. >> she's fantastic. i love her anyway. >> yeah. love her show. >> reporter: will ellen embrace her inner paula? >> you are a blend of every favorite color that i know. >> reporter: "idol's" newest judge says she'll be her own woman. >> i'm just like you. i sit at home and i watch it.

i don't have the technical -- i'm not looking at it in a critical way the music producer's mind. i'm looking at it as a person who's going to buy the music and who is going to relate to that person. >> reporter: for "good morning america," andrea canning, abc news, new york. >> she said she has seen every show of "american idol." and she does give a fresh perspective. >> yeah. she does. she does watch, like us. and maybe she'll dance. >> i think so. i think we'll see her bust a few moves. don't you think? >> yeah. >> but she's not quitting her day job. coming up, for the first time, the man whose father and brother died on that wrongway crash on the highway has looked at the evidence. and he tells us who he thinks is to blame. that's ahead. hey, has anybody seen barney?

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wild salmon dijon in puff pastry with whole-wheat orzo and vegetables. new stouffer's anytime gourmet. make it amazing. good morning. 7:24. watching that coastal storm work its way back on shore.

ocean city, 13th street, waves reported at 9 feet this morning. 67 degrees and steady wind at 28 miles per hour. that's the beach, right? they had a wind gust of 41 miles per hour but closer to home, sparrows point 30 mile-per-hour wind gusts. in annapolis, 126, choppy waters on the -- 26, choppy waters on the chesapeake as well, low to mid-60s. spotty showers on the delmarva and southern maryland. more moves in as the day wears on. plan for wet weather an our two-degree guarantee only 68 degrees. for most of us the winds will average 15 to 30 miles per hour but stronger gusts along the chesapeake where there's a coastal flood advisory for tonight. high tide between 11:00 and midnight. temperatures down to 61 with heavier rain overnight. let's check the roads with kim. the traffic is moving smoothly in anne arundel county. route 50 at route 97, no problems on 50 headed to the 495 capitol beltway. northbound 97 as you make your way towards the baltimore beltway traffic moving smoothly as well. we have serious delays on the outer loop on the north side

between 95 and providence road. a delay of almost 20 minutes. on the west side between 795 and route 70, traffic moving slowly there as well. a couple of crashes in howard county, 95 northbound at route 100, that crash is over to the right shoulder. the earlier accident that had both directions chosed on the conowingo dam has been reopened. we have a crash on the outer loop at providence road. a new one westbound route 100 after route 97. we'll be right back with a morning news update.

7:27. we have a story updating the gang rape in baltimore city. "the washington times" confirms that one of the men arrested is the son of a foreign diplomat. sherrie johnson has more. >> reporter: good morning. one of the suspects in the gang rape case, adedamola adeniran, his father is the new u.s. ambassador from nigeria. the suspects were arrested for the july gang rape of two women in baltimore city and another

woman in august. police say in july two victims accepted a ride from the suspects in downtown baltimore. investigators say the women were threatened at knifepoint and taken to a nearby high school parking lot and raped. another female victim said she was raped under the same circumstances in august. she was able to identify the license plate from the car which led police to one suspect and he gave up the other two. according to published reports since the suspect's father was not yet serving as an ambassador at the time of the arrest he would not receive diplomatic immunity. >> we could argue threat to public safety and flight risk and say, judge, we think this person might run if given the opportunity. and they are also a threat too public safety because of the nature of the crime so violent and heiness. >> reporter: all three men in jail without bail awaiting trial. preliminary hearing set for september 15th.

coming up on "good morning maryland" at 9:00 -- are your teens ready to start looking at colleges? this is the time for seniors to get started. we'll ask an expert what the first step should be. and time to square off. local folks are back on tv and so is richard sherr. as "squareoff" starts sunday morning on abc2. richard will join us live at 9:00. see you then.

♪ hey, now, you're an all-star she is an all-star. 17-year-old melanie oudin. stunning everyone at the u.s. open with her stunning run. she was ranked 70th in the world. she made it to the quarters. her twin sister, her family. and melanie is -- oh, she's over there. i didn't know she was here. turn around, melanie. turn around. we love you. you rock. >> thank you. >> that is so right.

and so much more to come. as we say good morning, america. diane sawyer with robin roberts. also coming up this morning on "good morning america," oprah winfrey, joining us live, to talk about her whitney houston interview and more. first, we have new information this morning on the woman who caused that horrific collision in new york. this has sparked a bitter dispute between the victims' families. >> it's a tortured situation. and the investigation is continuing. this morning, medical examiners are saying that diane schuler was so intoxicated that day, that she would have lost control of her motor skanls blacked out. yet, schuler's family says, she was not drinking. not using drugs. in a moment, we're going to speak to michael bestardi jr. he says that the schuler family has a lot to answer for. daniel schuler says he plans to

exhume his wife's body for more testing, in an attempt to clear her name. >> i know my wife. she's not an alcoholic. >> maybe she was a drinker and you didn't know it. >> reporter: a private investigator hired by schuler says 50 friends and relatives agree, they never once saw diane drunk. she drove nearly two miles on a new york state highway, before slamming head-on, into an suv, killing herself, her daughter, nieces and three other american. toxicology tests determined she had marijuana and the equivalent of ten drinks in her system. something her husband finds hard to believe. >> she was fine. we packed the cars up, like we always do. we headed out. >> reporter: daniel schuler insists that his wife might have suffered from a medical condition, possibly a stroke. even though autopsy reports showed no indication. >> nine witnesses saw her that day not drunk, with no alcohol

breath. >> reporter: the families of three of the victims call all of this appalling, offensive, and hurtful. >> what do you want to say to the relatives of the people in the other car? >> i want to say that a drunk driver did not do this to your family. something medically had to have happened. >> well, now, let's turn to mr. michael bestardi jr. he lost his brother and father on that parkway. he's joined now with his attorney. thank you to your two for being here this morning. >> good morning. >> let's start with the most important thing. how is your family doing? >> we're working our way through it. you know? we're all still devastated. trying to keep it together. >> now, as difficult as it is to cope, you have decided to come forward and get into the public discussion of this.

why? what's motivating the decision? >> motivating? well, denial by daniel schuler. how he just, you know -- just got to realize one thing here. how his wife, diane, was drunk, on drugs, and murdered my family. i think he also had a role in it. >> now, obviously, this has been the discussion from the beginning. and now, we hear that the schulers want to exhume the body, to retest, to prove that they are right about this. that this was not about intoxication. what do you make of that claim? >> well, first of all, they have not, so far as i know, asked or made a motion to exhume the body. i doubt whether they actually will. but if they do, we, of course,

take no position on that because we're quite satisfied with the integrity of the medical examiner's autopsy report. but more so, i wish to point out, that we believe that the conduct of their attorney, mr. dominic barbara, is such that, by negative inference, he has admitted that his client, daniel schuler, is involved with drugs and has a problem with drugs. the reason i say that is that, you will recall, at his press conferences and on the larry king show, he said that no questions will be entertained involving his client, who supposedly is a law enforcement officer in nassau county, concerning drugs. well, to me, that is the same thing as an admission. that if the question were

answered, he'd probably have to invoke his privilege against self-incrimination. >> let me ask you in a plain way. what do you think the husband knew in this situation? you say you think he was involved. how so? >> this is what we're trying to find out. obviously, he's not saying anything before this happened, during it, or after it. these are questions we need answered. >> i might say that i'm going to request, from the district attorney of westchester county, to impanel a grand jury in this matter. so far, i wish to point out nothing but the schulers, have been under oath. nothing whatsoever. in a grand jury, the attorney will not be able to selectively determine what questions he wants to have his client answer. what question hess doesn't.

>> but mr. anolik, the district attorney in westchester has said that the criminal charges died with miss schuler. and that the investigation's not going to go in that direction. >> well, i think that you're misinterpreting what i understood. i'm not arguing with you. believe me. >> sure. >> but when i attended the conferences with the district attorney, when i was first retained -- i'm a former prosecutor myself. and i'm quite familiar with grand juries. i asked her whether or not she intended to impanel a grand jury. and she said at the present time, there's no basis for it. however, she's keeping an open mind. and i am now asking her, requesting her most respectfully, that i think the time has come. the schuler family attorney, has blasphemed, if i can use that word, the medical examiner, the

district attorney's office, and the state and local police because they say that the reports by the medical examiner about alcohol and drugs are totally false. that the -- that they are -- the deceased was sober. >> they do dispute it. i understand. we're going to have to leave this discussion for now. the legal side of this, clearly, is not over. mr. anolik, thank you for the analysis. please know that all of us here want nothing more than peace for your family. and we will stay on this story and help you achieve that. thank you for joining us this morning. i know it's a difficult conversation to have. >> thank you so much. >> thanks. >> thanks to both of them. not an easy conversation for them to have. it's 38 minutes past the hour. let's get the weather from sam. sam? >> good morning, chris. we're going to start with a live shot from our friends at wpdi in philadelphia. there were earlier showers. but we think philly is one of the areas like dover, that will

be right in the bull's eye for heavier rain through the day. there's an area of high pressure blocking this low. it's got to move inland. and it's going to focus a band of heavy rain. that band will lift in the next 24 hours. later tonight, maybe tomorrow, bost listen get the heavy rain. where the big warmup is, look at this. portland going from 82 to 90 by saturday. 74 today, to 85. and pasadena will be 100 degrees by friday. and here's much. needed rain in south texas. corpus christi has had an inch, inch and a half of rain during the day this morning. p that will happen for san antonio. austin. we're looking at two areas that had the record warmest summer ever. very dry. very hot. they're getting cooler temperatures and

and all that weather was brought to you by maycy's. diane? >> okay, sam. far beyond the flu. common cold season coming up on us. do you know what your co-workers are doing to put you at risk that you didn't even notice? what about when children come in the room? dr. richard besser is here. #ú3ú (announcer) eucerin smoothing essentials.

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and now, the h1n1 virus has us all worrying about germs this season. but do you know that a simple, unconscious gesture can put you at-risk for getting sick. as we recently saw at an abc employee staff meeting, people are unwittingly, rubbing their faces. do you know where the germs are lurking in your office? the road to infection is usually through your very own eyes, nose and mouth. so, how often do you think you touch your face in an hour? >> most of the meeting his hands

were somewhere on his face. >> reporter: in this "gma" production meeting, the worst offender touched his face 44 times in 24 minutes. >> how many of you think you were touching your face during this meeting? there wasn't a person in here that didn't touch their face. >> reporter: the average adult touches they're face an average 18 times an hour. how about those shared snacks at business meets? did you know they can harbor harmful, bacteria-like e. coli. bottom line, wash your hands. don't touch your face. be germ-smart. and for more on how germs are transmitted and how to protect yourself, we're joined by our new senior health and medical editor, dr. richard besser. formally of the cdc. aren't you glad you joined us? >> that was quite a piece. >> tell us how germs can stop? >> it's an important question. how do i stay healthy? what you see here is a virus, entering this fella's nose. it goes back into the back of the nose, the nasal fprarynx.

it multiplies tens of thousands of times. it comes back in there to infect other cells and that person. but also, into your nose, ready to infect other people when you touch your nose. >> it can go to our eyes and other areas. >> whenever you touch your eyes, you touch your nose and your mouth, you're putting in there whatever germs may be on your hands. not all germs are bad. but the bad germs, when they get inside, those can cause trouble. >> we have to keep that in mind. you spent time recently with some young people. they seem to be getting the hang of what they should do. >> we did an experiment. we wanted to see how easily germs transmitted among a group of children. we had ten children in a classroom. two of those children passed out coloring books and crayons. we asked them to play with those for a while. what they didn't know, is we had dusted those with glow germ, a

poud they're simulates germs. after they played for about 20 minutes, we shined a light on their hands to see where those germs had gone. and what we saw was all of those children had joernls their hands, on their faces, around their nose. around their mouth. and if those germs were bad germs, that's how they could become infected. >> but they are becoming better because they're singing happy birthday when they wash their hands. "twinkle, twingele, little star." >> we asked them to wash their hands out giving instructions. they're learning in school that you wet your hands. scrub them for 20 seconds. then, rinse. there's a lot to learn from this. >> lesson for us all. i know you were excited that melanie oudin is here. >> i come from atlanta. my family are fans. >> coming up next, she's going to be here live. the cinderella story on center court. the woman taking tennis by storm. melanie oudin, live on "gma." (announcer) tired of nighttime breathing problems? (sniffy/congested noises)

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look at that. who doesn't remember these scenes? 17 years old. melanie oudin. the one french name i can get right. come on. she's here with us. you must be so proud of

yourself. listen to them screaming, usa. everybody's so excited about american tennis because of what you've been through. let me ask you this. last night, you go to sleep. what was the dream last night? >> the dream, it's n over yet, which is good. you know, i was really excited. you know, i've gotten to do this while here. and i'm still going to keep doing better. so, i'm still excited. >> you're motivated to move on and get even better now? >> i am. totally. >> you made it to the fourth round at wimbledon. quarters here. step, by, step. i heard your coach say you brought in some friends from the atlanta area just to help you settle down a little bit because of all of the hoopla surrounding you? >> yes. i wanted it to be like at home. all this stuff is going on. i needed my comfort zone with my friends and family. >> let's see the -- where's the tennis shoes? >> it was an shirts last night. you made my 3-year-old come in. and you know what he said?

come on. he said last night. you've inspired so many people. do you take that away as part of the benefit? >> definitely. i'm really happy to have inspired other kids and other women. >> you make us believe. we'll be back. instead of $5 per person for fast food, you can serve a nutritious breakfast from walmart for just over $1 a person. one breakfast a week saves a family of four over $800 a year. save money. live better. walmart.

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7:56. all week long we've been talking about to storm off the coast that is going to work its way back on top of us. today's the day, though it will take all day, just showers lower eastern shore, salisbury to cambridge, eventually they will cross the bay and will enhance the radar field this afternoon. let's show you what it looks like in easton. north wind at 5 miles an hour. wind will swing to the east, already gusts of 17 miles per hour. the temperatures actually dropped to 59.

we've been pulling down with this cool air on this side of the storm. we're aiming for 68. as our two-degree guarantee. that is running 10 to 15 degrees below normal. showers develop, a steadier rain later this afternoon towards this evening from east-to-west, winds gusting to 30 miles per hour but the best chance of rain and if we get the heavy rain and flooding especially along the west shores of the bay it will come overnight with winds still at about 30 miles per hour. let's check the roads with kim. >> we're slow at the usual trouble spots, from owings mills, southbound 795 pretty jammed and we're jammed on the west side of the outer loop at liberty road. that jam pretty much stays solid until you reach the route 70 interchange. north side of the outer loop between 95 and providence road as well. crash in anne arundel county, westbound route 100 after route 97. that crash is over to the shoulder. plus you're dealing with a crash in the city atcalo avenue and reservoir street. jfx, traffic is running heavy on the jfx from about the beltway through to about the northern parkway area.

just give yourself a few extra minutes. we'll be right back with a morning news update next.

"good morning america" continues with oprah's blockbuster interview with whitney houston. how a family intervention saved the superstar's life. >> your momma came to your house with the sheriffs? >> and said, she's not worth it. if you love bobby, they're going to take you down. >> you'll see it first on "gma," when oprah joins us live. and steve harvey is here live, giving it to us straight. >> you know you really want to know. >> his take on marriage and money. >> we have tough love served up by steve. on "good morning america."

>> hi. good. hey. >> hi, hi. we're saying good morning to you, on this thursday morning, september 10th. alongside diane, i'm robin. >> and do we have a power-packed half hour or what? >> we do. >> oprah winfrey, joining us in just seconds. she's standing by. walking to the site. and we have steve harvey. he's back with us. has some tough talk for couples. there's steve. we're going to get to him today. we begin, as always, upstairs with chris and the news. >> thank you, robin. good morning, again, everybody. president obama is hoping the tide of public opinion flows in his direction, after his passionate defense of health care reform before congress. he insisted a public insurance option would only be a possible choice for people who can't afford coverage. but this morning, it seems he's done little to change the minds of lawmakers, deeply divided on

that issue. the congressman that shouted at the president last night, "you lie," when he insisted illegal immigrants would not be covered by health care reforms, has apologized to the white house. and south carolina congressman, joe wilson, may have a new problem. his xant opponent back home received $100,000 in donations overnight. programs aimed at helping homeowners avoid foreclosure may be starting to work. foreclosure filings dropped slightly last month. but the number of americans on the verge of losing their home, remains at a near-record high. finally, we're going to take a look this morning, at some new technology that could go a long way to making our roads safer, by helping us to avoid car crashes altogether. our lisa stark shows up. >> reporter: as the saying goes, they don't make cars like they used to. this 50-year-old chevy bel air and its driver, took the brunt of it, after smashing into a

2009 chevy malibu. >> this is essentially life or death. it's highly unlikely that you're going to come away from that vehicle without very serious injuries, if not fatal. >> reporter: the insurance institute test, designed to show how far we've come in auto safety. and now, the industry is poised to take the next, big step forward, in terms of safety. with technologies, designed to help the driver avoid crashes in the first place. we tested one such system, available on the 2010 ford taurus. on-board radar watches up ahead, as i drive the vehicle toward a huge balloon, simulating a car. the alarm and lights warn us to slam on the brakes. saved. this system het ps to prevent rear-end crashes. there's other secnologies that warn drivers when they drift out of their lane. >> the potential of these active safety features is greater than air bags and seat belts can do

alone. >> reporter: a new study by the insurance institute found, that's technologies could prevent or lessen nearly one-third of all crashes, including 10,000 fatal ones. by making sure the car reacts, if the driver fails to. for "good morning america," lisa stark, abc news, ruckersville, virginia. >> not a substitute for paying attention when you drive. that's the news at 8:04. let's get the weather from sam. i think they crashed a '58 pontiac in that piece. >> chris, that had to bother you. did it bother you a little bit? >> it did bother me. i say restore. >> you put the car away -- did you put the car away for the fall? >> not yet. i have a few good weeks. >> we'll see if we have a weekend. saturday's not looking too good. let's look at the boards. hello, everybody. we have a lot of rain going into the south. this is a good thing for the texas area. not so good for the gulf and the middle of the country. they're trying to bring the shut until tonight about 7:00. if there's a lightning strike somewhere within 30 miles of the landing pad, they won't be able

to land there. corpus christi, more than two inches have fallen. elsewhere around the nation, if you're making big plan, it is gorgeous on the west coast. and a big warmup is coming in the northwest. they may not have had a great holiday weekend. but they're going to get beautiful holiday weather over the next couple of days. in the middle of the country, we and we'll have more weather from times square in the next half hour. diane? >> okay, sam. thanks.

and you always know that summer's over, with the surge of energy that marks the oprah winfrey show returning. joining us this morning from chicago, is oprah herself. 24th season. did it go by in a flash? >> well, not quite a flash. i wouldn't call it a flash. hi, diane. congratulations on the evening news job, too. i haven't talked to you since. >> no. we haven't talked yet. but what a lineup you have for this return. and, of course, whitney houston. no one can call anyone's house during the whitney houston interview. i'm very curious, if you changed your opinion of her. if you changed what you knew about her, talking to her for those two hours. >> well, i will tell you that, in preparation for my interview with her, i watched the interview that you had done, seven years ago. i watched that the night before i went into interview with her. and because i watched that interview, i got up the next morning and prayed because what

i realized from watching the interview you had done seven years ago, she was not ready to talk. she wasn't forthcoming. she was still in denial. and quite a different person, as you said to her on stage in the park last week. looking into her eyes. quite a different person than the person i interviewed for monday. so, i really sort of prepared myself to expect whatever. before we started the interview, i had a private conversation with her. asked her what was her intention? told her what my intention was. she said she wanted to tell her story. she wanted to tell the truth. and i said, you know, i want it to be a vessel for that to happen. and let's take as long as it would take. and she gave it up. she really talked about the difficulty in the marriage. and how early that started. as early as "the bodyguard." she talked about the drugs. she talked about what drugs she

was doing. and she talked about the fact that many days she didn't get out of her pajamas for days and weeks and even months at a time. she talked about bobbi christina, and handling bobby christina amidst all this function. there wasn't a question that i asked that she didn't answer and answer thoughtfully. many times you could see she was thinking about the answer. she wasn't just trying to give canned responses. she really -- she was real lly forth coming in a way i didn't expect. >> we're going to see a little of that right now. you gave us a clip of the interview. and i believe this is the discussion of the moment when her mom tries a prevention. not by herself. but there's police there, too. >> one day, my mother came to my house. it was kind of funny. now, i look at it, i see the love and the passion that my mother had for me and she has

for me. she walks in with these sheriffs. and she says, i have a court junction here. either you're going to -- you do it my way. or we're just not going to do this at all. we're both going to go on tv. and you're going to retire. and say you're going to give this up because this is not worth it. >> your momma came to your house with the sheriffs? >> she came and said it's not worthy. she said, if you move bobby, they're going to take you down. don't you make one move. he stood there, he was scared. and she said, let's go. let's do this. i'm not losing you to the world. i'm not losing you to satan. she said, i'm not doing this. i want my daughter back. i want you back. i want to see that glow in your eyes, that light in your eyes. >> was in a the moment? did it work? >> well, that did work. that was a moment where she was then put into rehab for a while. and i will say, her mother came with the sheriffs. there were also many other

family members there. it was an intervention to try to stop the madness, the craziness, and dysfunction that was going on. and so, there were also other family members who really, really, really were there to support her. and i think it's because of her strong faith in god. and the support of her family, that she made it through. i mean, there were some shocking things, diane. you know, in that interview, that you did seven years, you arrived on a day where bobby had just been arrested. and as we all know, which links to a bit of chaos for an interview. >> it did. and, of course, she was talking about drug use, for the first time, even to members of her family. she didn't know she was going to talk about it at all, seven years ago. i want to -- you also have erin andrews of espn, who, of course, was the victim of that peeping tom incident. and here's a clip of what she says to you, about telling her dad what had happened to her. >> you were saying to me that it

was -- your eyes are watering. >> it's my dad. it was such a painful phone call. i mean, having to call my parents and -- they thought i was physically injured, how bad i was screaming. i kept screaming, i'm done. my career is over. i'm done. and -- get it off. get it off the internet. get it off. >> you decided not to watch the tape yourself? >> no. i didn't want to watch the tape myself. i thought that -- you know, my producers told me what was on the tape. and i had a conversation with the audience. there's people who had been skeptical about whether or not she had something to do with the tape, which is so, in my opinion, so ridiculous because she looked so good. when i said to the audience, imagine yourselves getting dressed this morning and having a camera in your bathroom or in your bedroom or private spaces. and all of that is out on the internet today. i think when we put ourselves in her shoes, it's a different -- we feel differently about her story.

>> and i want to tell everybody that you're going to begin all this today, with a block party like no other block party in chicago. 21,000 people come out to launch this season of the show. incredible music. but since you're heading into your 25th year, 25th season next season, some people have said, will this be her last? >> no! >> well, i have to make that decision -- i have to make that decision by the end of this year. and i am literally, in thoughtful prayer and consideration about, you know, which road to take. to continue to go ahead? or to bring this phase of my career to an end? so, you'll be hearing about it before the end of the year. i'm going to make that decision. >> do we get a vote? >> you can vote. >> always do, as you know. anyway, thanks so much for getting up extra early and being with us. >> this is what i have to say about today's show. please watch today's show. i have this big surprise. there are 21,000 people all

choreographed to dance to the black eyed peas. i didn't know it when i walked out. they're all, literally, dancing in the street, choreographed to the same dance. it was the most amazing thing i've seen. >> unbelievable. we will be watching it returns today. full interview with whitney houston on monday and tuesday. great to talk to you. >> great to talk to you. and coming up next, steve harvey. his personal story about money, marriage, what it taught him. and what he's going to teach you. canopy performance towels are designed so they spend less time in the dryer and more time where you really want them. canopy home furnishings. available at walmart. save money. ive better. walmart.

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♪ what a man, what a man we know the numbers. nearly half of all marriages end in divorce in america. and the number one reason couples split, money. "gma's" special contributor, steve harvey, knows a little mething-something, about relationships and money. having risen from homelessness to the heights of hollywood success. now, the author of the best-selling relationship book, "act like a lady, think like a man," says he has learned from his financial mistakes. that financial harmony is key to marital bliss. steve harvey is pulling up to

the studio, where 60 markets listen to his radio show every morning. >> steve harvey. men have to come to terms when they are ugly. >> reporter: he's always been funny. a breakout star when he hosted "showtime at the apollo." >> starring steve harvey. >> reporter: he followed that up as one of the original kings of comedy. >> steve harvey. >> a venture so profitable, it's credited with changing the landscape for african-american comedians. and his sitcom, "the steve harvey show," at a six-year run. >> you know, bullethead, i didn't put enough kahlua in my coffee to deal with this morning. >> reporter: surprising even himself, he's now a best-selling author. >> i started off with one goal. i wanted to be one of the premiere standups in the country. that was all i wanted. >> reporter: but that dream, that goal, came with a very steep price.

>> my life was really crazy for a long time. i was homeless for a while. lived in a car. >> reporter: he credits the faith that his parents instilled in him, growing up poor in cleveland, ohio, with helping to get him through. >> my mother was very much a christian. i just had two, great parents. but we had nothing. you know? >> reporter: another role that defines harvey, husband and father. family man. but that, too, has not come easily. >> i loved the idea of being married. now, have i blown it? yeah. messed it up pretty good. you know, this is my third marriage. >> reporter: he now lives in suburban atlanta, with his wife, marjorie, and seven children between them. >> this is the brady family in brown. >> reporter: the harveys say, financial harmony is one of the keys to their marital bliss. >> i had to learn that my wife is an individual. and because i'm the main bread-winner in the house, i can't come in the house and treat her like a child.

she's an adult. she's as big a part of this family that i have. without her, this does not exist. >> sweet marjorie. who better to weigh in on money and marriage, than the man who wrote the relationship book, "act like a lady, think like a man." which has been on "the new york times" best-seller list for an incredible 31 weeks. we're fortunate to have you as a special contributor, mr. harvey. >> got to send all them kids to college. i need 31 more weeks, actually. >> you do have. seven. >> four of them, actually. three have completed college. >> oh. >> yeah. >> only four more to go. >> only four more to go. one of my daughters wasn't in it. she's here in new york, at the culinary institute. my twin daughters graduated from ohio state. so, i'm doing pretty good as a parent so far. but money's a big part of it. and it's kind of crazy. you know? >> it is crazy. we have couples we're going to get to. two couples here in our studio. one via skype. he's a relationship expert. but how did you come about this?

knowing -- gaining this knowledge about the importance of -- >> i mean, i messed up. you know? it's no secret. i'm in my third marriage. i've blown it enough times to figure it out. that's how you learn, through error and mistake. once i got it figured out, i was able to put it down on a piece of paper in a book. and maybe share with some people what i've learned through mistakes. this one, i think i got it right. >> you ready to get some advice from mr. harvey? he's going to help you, with some straight talk. >> regular advice. >> it's anything but. it's anything but. coming up, more straight talk on money and marriage with this man right here, steve harvey. going to get to all of our couples in our next half hour. come on back. ♪ what a man okay...um...eighteen pounds and a smidge. a smidge? y'know, there's really no need to weigh packages under 70 pounds. with priority mail flat rate boxes from the postal service, if it fits, it ships anywhere in the country for a low flat rate. cool.

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good morning. 8:25. may seem rather tame, just chilly but this storm off the coast is impressive. a hybrid system, almost a tropical but not full tropical nature to it, starting to generate nature. as this pulls back towards the coast and models indicating it may make landfall on top of ocean city they could be having gusts. this continues from tonight through tomorrow. we have ourselves just spotty showers this morning. the winds out of the east will pick up this afternoon, 63 degrees now. this afternoon's two-degree guarantee only gets us to 68. our winds for most of us up to

30 mile-per-hour gusts. could be higher along the bay. we have the showers that will giveaway to said steadier rain later tonight. heavy at times. let's check the roads with kim. >> traffic is stop-and-go in a lot of area. southbound 83 headed to the beltway, stop-and-go there. and west side of the outer loop on liberty road pretty much a solid backup from about 795 to route 70. no incidents to let you know about it's pretty much volume. a couple incidents, one in anne arundel county, northbound route 97 after route 32 a crash reported there. reisterstown, a crash at butler road a and rote 30 and moravia road and mannasota and pulaski highway and hayden street. jfx, solid delay pretty much from the beltway all the way to the northern parkway, north avenue area. traffic very heavy. back with a morning news update next.

good morning. i'm megan pringle. the news headlines -- one morgan university student sure hopes he has a better today than yesterday. sources say a car carrying students from morgan state university slid on the wet roads in northeast baltimore and crashed into a suv, on loch raven boulevard near havenwood 10:30 last night. our overnight photographer pete "on the street" o'neill captured this video. no one was seriously hurt but one student had just been released from the hospital earlier yesterday for a mugging and is now recovering from the car crash. baltimore county fire officials are working to make

neighborhoods safer this morning. all a part of a new pilot program kicked off in rogers forge. fire department personnel will be walking door-to-door at the request of concerned communities in areas with specific safety issues. they'll address such issues such as smoke alarms, carbon monoxide detectors, even basic home emergency planning. communities interested in safe neighborhoods should contact the safety education division at 410-887-4876. top baltimore city leaders will honor community activists this evening who worked for the last 40 years to stop youth violence in our city. this evening former national president of the naacp mfume will honor the reverend willie ray. it's on the west side of the baltimore community along with other community leaders. reverend ray says he has been working to stop city violence since the late 1960s. now the greater baltimore urban

league and others will host the ceremony 6:30 tonight on orchard street. tickets $40 a person. a little fun leaving baltimore this morning. the ducks, the sightseeing tours that go in the road and water are leaving baltimore. with the official word from the company, they need to concentrate on investments in other cities. the vehicles drove tourists through downtown streets before entering baltimore's inner harbor. see you at 9:00. have a great morning if not.

♪ one more time got me feeling so free ♪ look at us. lighting up times square. happy anniversary to us. "gma" is celebrating ten years, at the crossroads of america. i'm applauding for myself. >> what a great time we've had down there. all these -- we're looking at ourselves go by. our little scratch book. but it really is the rocket fuel every morning that wakes us up. the energy here, crossroads of the world. >> and it's wonderful, now, that part of the road is closed. and people can walk around. we've seen how it's changed. you know, sam champion is the

draw. let's face it. sam champion is the draw for times square. >> we need a shot of the control room. who let us say the word anniversary, out confetti and horns? and all that stuff. i'm pointing an angry finger at the control room. >> we need a celebration. close him off. close him off. >> i can't say anniversary without confetti. >> okay. here it comes. >> yay. >> recycling. >> don't you agree? good morning, everybody. there's a little applause and some confetti. >> that's sam champion. i'm robin. chris, diane. we have steve harvey ready to talk to couples. >> yay. >> there's the confetti. >> and relationships. but back to gus. i mean, sam. >> we're also going to talk late

their morning with mayor bloomberg. mayor franklin of atlanta. and tim daily of abc's "private practice" about getting folks to volunteer. why not make it a port of what we do every year. volunteer. pick a project in your community. it's a great idea. let's get to the boards. we're going to talk about what's going on this morning as you leave the house. as you do, you should know about the impulse of low pressure in the eastern seaboard. and call that norfolk, through boston, over the next 24 to 48 hours, with rain and gusty winds, particularly inland. and that rain will crawl up toward boston during the day tomorrow. big warmth. seattle is nice for the next couple of days. and heat in the northwest. and elsewhere, the rain going on in texas, it's a very inconvenient situation there. but it's much-needed rain. and they'll continue to get it over the next couple of days.

okay. i'm just refusing the confetti. all that weather was brought to you by united states postal service. robin? >> we love you, sam. we love you. but we are now back with steve harvey, the best-selling author of the relationship book, "act like a lady, think like a man." talking about money, marriage, finances, the number one cause in divorce today. and we have some couples here with us. okay. we've been talking a little bit in the break. are you ready for serious talk, straight talk. >> yeah. >> so, tony and wayne. stay-at-home mom. 6-year-old. what issue do you want steve to help you with? >> i have two questions. my first question is, do you have any ideas of how to -- my husband does our finances.

is there any ideas how to do the joint banking account? regular banking account, so we're on the same page? >> are you involved in the money at all? do you know what's going on? >> yeah. i spend it. >> wow. that's a girl answer. >> yeah. i do my best to stay involved. but it's hard. i'm taking care of the baby. and trying to balance everything. >> okay. it is easy to do. this is what i've learned because i've blown it a couple times in this same area because this creates such a big problem. an older guy, who is a financial guy, taught this to me. every married couple should have four bank accounts. you should have a joint account that both of the incomes go into, or the one, whichever the case is. and that pays all the essentials. that's the house note, the car, the electricity, the groceries, the gas. that's the stuff you've got to have to live on. then, the second account is, you have a savings account, where

you designate a certain amount of your money every check. 3%, 5%, $30, $25. you put that in a savings account that requires two signatures to move. you cannot move the saving without two signatures. then, you need the woman needs her individual account, that's her allowance until next pay. and the guy needs his individual account that's his allowance to the next pay. that allows the two people to have individuality. you know, she's not a kid. so, she can't come to you and ask you, can i have money to get my nails done, when she should be able to make that decision on her own. and that blows it, when the person who isn't the primary breadwinner has to come and ask for money from the other person. it puts you in a subservient position. >> do you feel that way? >> i don't feel that way. there's times that -- >> what are we talking about? that isn't what the card says.

>> how about the four accounts. >> i think that sounds like a great idea. we have three right now. a joint and individual accounts. we have other accounts -- we have a side business. so, that adds a little bit of complexity to the issues, as well. as far as moving money around and things like that. >> but there's like no money there? >> sometimes. >> sometimes, yeah. >> well, i mean, but mostly for like personal stuff that you want to do? >> or the baby. >> or the baby. that's kind of personal. >> she needs ugg boots. >> she needs what? >> go get her. why does she need ugg boots? >> i don't know. how old is your baby? >> 6 months. >> ugg boots at 6 months? that's crazy. can't even walk. some socks. they're a lot cheaper. walmart has a big pack of socks for $4. >> that's true.

>> can last her whole infancy almost. >> let's go to cameo and deion. a lot problem that a lot of people are facing, you were recently laid off? >> yes, ma'am. >> i'm in school. he got laid off. before he got laid off, we were doing pretty good. i think we got the kids accustomed to -- >> how many kids do you have? >> we have three kids. i think we got them accustomed to getting what they ask for. now, that he'd laid off, he thinks we should pull back on that. i don't mind pulling back on stuff for me and him. when it comes to the kids, i don't want to snatch that from them right away. >> how old are your kids? >> 5, 3 and 1. >> 5, 3 and 1. you mean your nonworking kids? oh, those kids. >> yes. >> exactly. >> you're talking about the kids that aren't making any financial contribution. so, you're laid off, sir? >> yes. >> and are you working? >> no. >> nursing school?

>> yeah. i'm in nursing school. >> okay. so, you have no income? >> no. >> you don't see the need to cut back when you don't have income? if income keeps being outgo. >> we have income. he got severance pay. he gets unemployment. so, we're not broke. >> yeah. but i mean -- okay. i mean, it's tough times out there, right? >> right. right. >> in the cutback part of it, everybody's got to participate in the cutback, even the kids. 5, 3 and 1. what do they got to have that -- oh, you don't want them to feel it? >> right. exactly. >> the only thing kids need at this point is clothes, though. >> that's all i'm buying is clothes and shoes. but he wants to go to walmart and buy the clothes. but i don't want to go to walmart and buy the clothes. >> uh-oh. >> you ever heard the slogan, save money, live better. i mean, that's really where you're at.

you have to chip in and do the right thing because the severance pay is not going to last forever. and the unemployment is a mere -- mere, mere fraction of the guy that was normally -- were you in the auto business? oh, yeah. he was making good money. good benefits. come on, now. you don't see that the kids need to pitch in? you're just going to be that stubborn about it? >> i'm cutting back. i don't get new clothes and shoes and stuff. but -- >> but the kids are going to outgrow everything you buy them in four months. >> we got two girls. pass down the stuff from one girl to the next girl. but if we buy it cheap, it doesn't last for the next girl. >> she's got an argument for everything. deon you're worried that steve was going to go after you. that's a common problem, losing a job. let's get dan. don's sitting up now. >> yeah. >> good to see you both. now, retirement. that's an issue with a lot of families across the country,

dealing with that. and, don, you were with the auto industry, right? >> yes. i retired after 38 years. and saturdayed working for my wife's company, the day after i retired. >> i've had my company for 30 years. i've had it for 30 years. you know, actually, i did very, very well. successful. my company has been doing beautifully. and then, when he was, like, forced retirement a year ago. suddenly, within a day, he started working for me. so, what we have got is just a struggle here because he in this female, estrogen, environment, is now the only man. and i've got six female full-time employees. and about 20 part-time employees. we're all female. so, we all have a real good time. and there's my husband, that just lets these things kind of

like flow around him and over him. and he's pretty good at letting them flow around him. >> what's the issue? is it the role reversal? that now -- >> adjust to her being the main breadwinner now. >> i am the breadwinner. and i never thought i'd be the breadwinner. i don't mind. >> you have a problem that i attacked in the book because what you got to understand about is man is, the thing that drives a man is who he is, what he does, and how much he makes. so, if you're husband was in this forced retirement, now, the who he is now the employee of his wife. the what he does is he works at this girl store for a bride company. and then, how much he makes is half of what he was living on anyway. so, the three things that are key to a man's existence has now been chopped off at the knee in half. >> so, what do they do?

>> this is an ego problem here. more in an a finance. because your money's different. he didn't sign up to be the lesser. he really signed up to be your husband and your man. and that's more of the problem they having than money. >> right. i get it. but i didn't sign up to be the breadwinner, either. so, i feel sometimes that -- >> even it out. >> and i guess what i expect is for him to just kind of go along with the flow. and if i need things around the house done, or anything else, i think he should do it. >> no. he didn't sign up to get the house done. he's not going to do that well. >> i think we're going to have to have cyd and don. we'll have to have steve continue to talk to you a little more. i see how cyd is moving all around. >> it's about to turn into something else. >> we need to have a further discussion. thank you to all of our couples.

thank you for your questions. steve harvey, we appreciate you being here. we know you'll be back. and continue this tough talk. want some tough love steve harvey style? go to our website, abcnews.com. send us your questions to steve. gi i think, for the most part,

traditionally men have ruled the world. i think that they're in control. women rule the world. men are just here for the company. really? ask your wife. depend brand. for women and men.

there is a big event in anaheim, california, today. the d-23 expo.

inducted hollywood stars as disney legends. and abc's tom bergeron talked with a number of them. robin williams is one. and "the golden girls." he sat down with betty white. >> don't think i ever had more fun in my life than i did with "the golden girl." >> i'm wrapping miles' birthday present. i got him a golf club. but don't tell him. it's a surprise. >> it was just such fun. it was like going to a party. >> reporter: sue ann nivens on "the mary tyler moore show" probably showed a side of betty white that people hadn't seen coming. this is almost 36 years ago, to this date. >> really? >> reporter: the first episode that you appear on "the mary tyler moore show." >> start at midnight. and go around the room, working clockwise toward the kitchen. you'll be done in two shakes of a lamb's tail. >> reporter: that was the first

appearance of sue ann nivens. >> she was a legend in her own mind. >> betty white. >> reporter: i want to go back to 1964. this is the show you won your first emmy, right? >> yes. >> reporter: first of six. and you were not only the star, but the producer of this, as well? >> and we had a staff of writer. one writer. >> reporter: really? >> honey? how would you like your eggs sunny side gone? >> reporter: we traced betty white's performing roots, back to her teenage years. this is her 1939, beverly hills high school graduation program, featuring betty marion white singing "spring flower." >> oh, for heaven's sake. i didn't know they had printing back in those days. >> reporter: it's held up well. >> it did. it's on papayrus. >> reporter: and i have a

picture here. is this at home playing cards? >> that's my fella. >> reporter: he proposed constantly. >> constantly. and he'd call me every night at 11:00. and he sent me this beautiful, white, stuff -- such a beautiful bunny. with gold and diamond and sapphire earrings on the ears. the note says, please say yes. so, that night, when he called me, i didn't say hello. i just said yes. we were a good pair. ♪ thank you for being a friend >> reporter: betty white will represent "the golden girls" later today, when they're inducted as didny legends at the d-23 expo. upcoming movies like "alice in wonder land," with johnny depp. and "the princess and the frog." >> kiss me. >> reporter: are some of the projects previewed at the d-23 expo. ultimate disney fans can check out exhibits over the next four days at the anaheim, california,

convention center. when someone says, betty white, we're going to recognize you as a legend. what does that feel like? >> i am deeply honored and scared to death, if you must know. >> reporter: what is it that keeps you going at this pace, even today? >> oh, tom. i am the luckiest, old broad on two feet. i'm 87 years old, for heaven's sake. and you don't expect to still be working. >> reporter: you wear it well. >> (employee 1) subject: urgent!! bob!!

i need the baker file stat!! reply!! still making changes. circle back later!! what's with the yelling? oh, our internet slows down during peak hours so sending e-mails and large files just takes forever. so, we just yell. ben!!! thanks for the flowers!!! i thought you hated me!!! lol!!! semi-colon! right parenthesis! winky emoticon! (announcer) switch to verizon and get a dedicated high speed internet connection from our office to your small business so you won't be slowed down

even if your neighbors are online. call the verizon center for customers with disabilities at 800-974-6006 tty/v today and for only $79.99 a month for 12 months with a 3 year contract you'll also get our award winning internet security suite, unlimited nationwide calling, and over $180 back in available online rebates. plus, the reliability of the verizon network. call the verizon center for customers with disabilities at 800-974-6006 tty/v today for the verizon single line business pak and data protection pak. one of the many tools in the verizon small business toolbox. tomorrow is the eighth anniversary of the day that did touch all our lives. it's the terror attacks of september 11th. now, the industry foundation has made a big effort to make that day a day of service and volunteerism. and joining us this morning, are three people that are involved in this effort. we have shirley franklin of atlanta. mayor boom berg, of new york. and tim daily. thank you for talking about this effort. a big one across the country.

mayor bloomberg, let me get to you first. what can a mayor and a city like yours encourage to get people involved in a big push in volunteering? >> there's been volunteering. but where do you go? what skills do you have that other people need? that's a big part of all of this. it's matching volunteers with organizations that need them. it's telling people where they can go and how they can get involved. president asked us to do it. congress passed a bill. the edward kennedy serve america act. but it's the cities that provide services, and roll up their sleeves. that's what we're all doing. i want to thank, particularly tim daily, and the industry foundation, helping shirley and myself and all the other mayors to turn words into actions. >> and, mayor franklin, now that you have this infrastructure, what do you want people to do? >> we want people to really roll up their sleeves. join a community organization. contact their mayor's office. and really help to make cities livable places for everyone.

atlanta has a long tradition of volunteerism. and this gives an opportunity to involve schoolchildren. to involve senior citizens. and really to uplift the entire community. so, we're excited about it in atlanta. >> and, tim, shows like yours are going to make a big effort to make it look like fun. make volunteerism good. how can people get to a website to get it in their community ps. >> the entertainment industry foundation is launching a website called iparticipate.org. and it's going to make it a lot easier for people who are trying to do service, to find the right outlet for doing that. on october 19th, abc and the other major networks, are going to feature community service in their television programming, through psas. to, you know, help support this call to service that our government has now you can save more every time that you shop, with thousands of items at prices that pop. now double the number of deals through the store,

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[ cheers and applause ] ten years. >> times square. what a big day.

good morning. 8:56. we look at the time lapse camera from the inner harbor. clouds broke up, peaks of sun on the north side of the city toward towson. don't be deceived though. that storm we've been taubing about is lingering off the coast and about to move in our direction. currently 64 degrees. sparrows point 61. a steady wind out of the north-to-northeast and gusts already to 30 miles per hour. that becomes more widespread this afternoon. the rain coming our way. just spotty showers cecil county and across the eastern shore. and the showers will continue to enhance themselves as we head through this afternoon. winds get gusty, 30 miles per hour and a high only 6 degrees. heavier rain -- 68 degrees. heavier rain overnight, 61. and only upper 60s to lower 70s, more rain off and on tomorrow. traffic remains heavy on the inner loop between greenspring avenue and dulaney valley road. stop-and-go on the west side of the outer loop between 795 and route 70. still dealing with a few accidents around the area, anne

arundel county, crash remains on scene at northbound 97 at route 32. just use caution there. reisterstown butler road at route 30, the crash is still there. in the city, a couple of incidents, clarks rain and reisterstown road. and watermain break, wendell avenue at quateman. jfx at northern parkway, traffic still running heavy from about the beltway all the way through to north avenue so give yourself plenty of extra time before heading on the jfx. we'll be right back with "good morning maryland" at 9:00. hey, i'm worried about mrs. lowenberg next door.

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